Animal Control Moves in For West Odessa Abused Horses

WEST ODESSA - Just one look at the horses on Westview Drive in West Odessa says it all. Weak movements, visible bones and patches of hair missing.

NewsWest 9 was tipped off on the animals on Tuesday.

NewsWest 9 called Odessa Animal Control and they left a note on the door. On Wednesday, we walked up to their owner's home.

Family members said the man wasn't at home and that he was getting a trailer to bring the horses to the vet.

So NewsWest 9 spoke with the man's neighbors who said this isn't the first time for these horses.

"The first time I noticed it was like last November and I called then and then in January. I called in again," neighbor, Jo Tull, said. "I'm really concerned about the people themselves too. If they're not going to take care of their animals, are they going to take care of anything?"

Other neighbors told NewsWest 9 this has been going on for months, even saying some horses have died behind the house.

After an hour of waiting for the homeowner, Animal Control arrived, shortly followed by the homeowner, who came without a trailer.

The homeowner didn't speak with NewsWest 9 but Animal Control told NewsWest 9 he was arranging for a vet to come at 4:00 p.m. to examine the horses.

Neighbors are demanding care for the horses, fearing their own animals may catch diseases from them.

"Our fence line is right next to them and it looks like they just attach to my fence to fence all of that in and I didn't want to take a chance with my horses getting anything," Tull said.

Animal Control said they would have an officer take the vet's report.

As for what happens next, they said they wouldn't speculate until they saw the report.

Neighbors are just hoping someone takes the horses into better care, ending their suffering.

"People are the ones that domesticated them," Tull said. "We're the ones that keep them cooped up. We need to take responsibility and take care of them. Me being a horse-lover, that really just gets to me."